1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a solid marking composition which can be used for writing instruments, a marking stick, coating materials, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Many of today's fabrication, repair, and assembly of routine and customized engineering works require the measurement, cutting, welding, and joining of many parts. These parts must be designed and the image and dimensions transferred to the material of construction. That material may be glass, metal, ceramic, wood, plastic or any combination thereof. Once the dimensions of the object to be fabricated are transferred to the appropriate material, the cutting and joining processes may proceed.
These marks on construction materials must meet a number of performance criteria. The modern machine shop utilizes a number of fluids such as oils, water, and cooling fluids. Frequently these fluids are spilled, sprayed, or condense on construction materials. Once this occurs, it is often not practical to remove these fluids from construction materials as it would add unnecessary expense and delay to the construction. Most liquid based markers cannot write through all of these fluids. They will usually stop writing, sometimes permanently, when they contact fluid of a dissimilar nature to the internal ink.
An improvement to liquid markers in the fabrication process is a solid marker. A solid marker will not stop working if it encounters a dissimilar fluid material. If the solid marker is formulated and constructed properly, it will write through these liquids and make a discernable mark on the materials of construction, thus saving time and money in the fabrication process.
The solid marker must have a melting point such that it can be processed into the marker format, and also survive the environment of a typical warm fabrication or repair facility. In addition, it must also survive the rigors of the distribution and shipping system that it will encounter. This is so that the solid marking composition does not fail abruptly at an elevated temperature, but rather slowly across an elevated range of temperatures.
The final mark must be waterproof when dry, and also weather resistant. Markers are frequently used in maintenance activities on out-of-the-way locations such as on the top of wind mill generators many hundreds of feet in the air. Here one mechanic may want to leave information for a future mechanic. In certain situations, it may be necessary to remove a mark. To do this, the solid marking composition must be soluble in some solvent.